Steve Patterson was named Arizona State University's Vice President for University Athletics and Athletics Director on March 28, 2012.

"In his time at ASU Steve Patterson has shown a level of sports management expertise rarely seen at the college and university level," said President Michael M. Crow. "He is the ideal person to build on the foundation and to take Sun Devil sports to the next level - to the highest level."

Prior to his current role as Athletics Director, Patterson served as Chief Operating Officer for Sun Devil Athletics and Managing Director of Sun Devil Sports Group.In that capacity, Patterson was responsible for all ASU Athletic Department business operations, development, and operation of current and new sports facilities. As Sun Devil Athletics continues to grow and expand, Patterson is at the forefront of many significant capital projects, including the renovation of the football stadium, the negotiations for a new site for baseball and the creation of a 425-acre Sports Facilities District adjacent to the university in downtown Tempe.

Aside from his day-to-day responsibilities, Patterson will continue to enhance the Sun Devil mission, which consists of graduating student athletes, winning championships and playing by the rules.

Before coming to Arizona State, Patterson served as president of Pro Sports Consulting, which provides services to companies, government entities, universities and individuals that operate or seek to acquire sports properties, to design, finance, build and operate sports facilities and to maximize the revenue in these and related companies.

Patterson spent nearly a quarter of a century as an innovative and successful executive in the NFL with the Houston Texans, in the NBA with the Houston Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers, and in professional hockey with the Houston Aeros. He has built championship teams and designed, financed, built and run stadiums and arenas.

As President of the Portland Trail Blazers, The Rose Garden and Rose City Radio from 2003-07, Patterson was responsible for all business and basketball operations for the team and arena, as well as local media outlets. He refined his skills as a turnaround specialist, while garnering national recognition for his player acquisition skills when he took over the team's General Manager duties. Patterson engineered a record six draft day trades that resulted in the selection of NBA Rookie of the Year and three time NBA All Star Brandon Roy and fellow All Rookie 1st team, NBA All Star and All NBA member LaMarcus Aldridge.

From 1997-2003, Patterson served as the Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer of the Houston Texans NFL franchise where he led Bob McNair's successful effort to acquire a National Football League franchise and Super Bowl XXXVIII for Houston, Texas. Patterson was responsible for the establishment of the team's business, legal, media and political operations, as well as the development, design, finance and construction of Reliant Stadium.

Prior to joining the Texans, Patterson was the President, General Manager and Governor of the Houston Aeros hockey team. For his efforts there, he was named the 1995 winner of the Andy Mulligan Trophy as the IHL's Executive of the Year. In addition to his roles with the Aeros, Patterson also acquired and served as President and Partner in Arena Operating Company, which managed and operated Compaq Center, Houston's home of the Rockets, Aeros and Comets. He coordinated the six-year, $7.5 million naming rights and sponsorship deal with the Compaq Computer Corporation and the $5 million renovation of the arena.

As General Manager of the Houston Rockets from 1989-93, he was the primary architect of the 1993-1994 Houston Rockets squad that captured the first NBA World Championship in franchise history, signing or trading for all the team's players and coaches. Patterson also led the club's successful bid to host the 1989 NBA All-Star Game, which held the all-time attendance record of 44,735 for 21 years.

Born and raised in Beaver Dam, WI. Patterson attended the University of Texas, graduating with honors earning a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration in 1980. He graduated from UT's Law School in 1984.